How do Elkay’s filters solve the lead problem?

What are the alternatives to point-of-use filtration?

Previous to point-of-use filtration, schools have remediated their lead problem using either traditional pipe or fixture removal, or a flushing protocol.  

Pipe / Fixture Removal

If the goal is to remove lead from water, there is nothing more effective than removing it from the source. However, conducting a “profiling” method to identify the source of lead can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take years to complete.

Why?

Lead in water could be derived from a number of locations. Sources could include the public distribution system (although rare), the service line (connects public street plumbing to building plumbing), and/or internal pipes or fixtures. As noted above, identifying and removing the lead from one of these sources can be quite uneconomical.

If budget and time are on your side, this could be the ideal solution. However, most U.S. schools, especially public, are unable to access the funding needed to remediate in this way.  

Flushing

A flushing protocol requires an assigned staff member to manually run the water from the tap usually about one minute, or however long the water line would require. This method literally flushes out the lead that was accumulating in the pipes between usages.  

The flushing option may be appealing to some schools because there are seemingly no new costs. However, someone from the schools staff will have to manage this project by spending about an hour or so each day before anyone begins drinking the water. Between this and the increased water bill, the economics are often the disadvantage of this option.

However, more important than the economics, new research out of Polytechnique Montreal in Quebec, Canada suggests that flushing is not necessarily safe. The study shows unsafe lead levels returning as soon as 15-20 minutes after flushing.  

Between the high costs of pipe removal remediation, and risk associated with flushing, the case is growing stronger for point-of-use filtration.  

What maintenance is needed for Elkay’s filters?

How often should the filter be replaced?

A key benefit of the Elkay bottle filling station is its filter status indicator — a tricolor light that informs you when it’s time to change the filter.

The newest Enhanced models have an upgraded feature called FillSafe™. This update automatically stops dispensing water when the filter status light shows red, which means its reached 100% of its usage. Each WaterSentry Plus filter lasts 3,000 gallons, which usually sustains 6-12 months, or about 24,000 16-ounce bottle fills.  

How do I replace the filter?

Filters need to be replaced regularly in order to ensure the proper functioning of the unit. Fortunately, this process is simple and can take as little as five minutes to complete.

Begin by turning off the fountain or filler’s water supply and removing the machine’s lower cover to locate the current filter. Once located, Elkay’s Quick-Disconnect feature makes it easy to unscrew the current filter and replace it with a new one. For a step-by-step replacement overview and additional guidance, please refer to our Maintenance Guide.  

How much do Elkay filters cost?

Can I turn my non-filtered fountain into a filtered one?

Moving Forward 

“Lead is dangerous for children even in low levels and can permanently harm their developing brains and nervous systems.”

The crisis in Flint, Michigan has shined a spotlight on the public health hazards of lead in drinking water. Pressure has been placed on schools, institutions at high risk for lead, and where millions of children are vulnerable to its effects each day.

This guide will assist school and town stakeholders from the moment lead is discovered through the process of planning for long term success. In order to help you make the best decision for your school, we’ve considered efficacy, cost and labor.

How to interpret lead levels

Physicians, public health officials and the EPA all agree that no amount of lead exposure is safe. Lead is dangerous for children even in low levels and can permanently harm their developing brains and nervous systems. It is persistent and bioaccumulates, so early exposure is important to avoid.

Despite this consensus, the World Health Organization and European Union have both established a legal level of lead in water of 10 ppb. The EPA’s standard is even higher. The agency recommends action at any individual water outlet when the lead level is above 20 ppb. For public water systems as a whole, its action level is 15 ppb. Many schools that discover lead contamination use the EPA standard of 15 ppb.

The data is clear. Even exposure below 10 ppb is dangerous for children. We agree with the American Academy of Pediatrics: lead levels at each fountain and faucet must reach a standard of ≤1 ppb to be safe.

Immediate response to finding lead

Regardless of the long-term remediation method you choose, there are steps to take as soon as you discover high lead levels:

• Remove access to contaminated water and post signage. Shut off water supply or physically disconnect unsafe fountains/sinks until lead levels are safe. Post signage at each fixture to provide clarification and education about the issue.

• Contact your local water system and state departments of health and water. Local and state government will need to update their records and ensure that water treatment is appropriate. You can also contact the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 to report information and ask questions.

• Provide notice to parents and school community. Being transparent about lead levels and school response plans gives credibility to schools and opens the door for beneficial community involvement toward a solution. Schools can use any method they believe will be effective at reaching their audience. Many schools post on their websites, send or email a letter to parents, or publish a letter in their local newspaper. For greatest transparency, posting online is recommended.

• If necessary, provide water from an alternate source. If the main sources of drinking water are impacted, schools may need to rely on bottled water until the problem is resolved.

Remediation: The Options

Once the immediate risk is gone, it’s time to look into more permanent solutions. These solutions vary in 1) efficacy, 2) cost and 3) required labor. The right method may differ between school districts, or even between schools, depending on available resources.

Option 1: Finding and removing lead at the source

How it works:

Schools or contractors search for sources of lead, remove or bypass them, and conduct follow-up testing until tests show that lead concentrations have dropped to target levels (safest levels are ≤1 ppb). Schools should also clean fixture aerators and re-route any ground wires near pipes that may accelerate corrosion in risk areas for lead.

Likely places with lead include interior pipes, service lines, solder, fixture hardware, aerators, and water meters. Importantly, there may be areas of plumbing that are at risk of leaching lead into water as they age even if they are not yet posing a problem. It is important to check all of these potential sources of lead.

Creating a plumbing profile of your school will help you identify and keep track of high-risk areas for lead, make decisions about water supply and pipe materials, prioritize sample sites to effectively systematize testing, strategize for remediation, and inform parents and school staff about steps the school is taking.

A plumber can assess interior plumbing, while the local water supplier will have information about buildings’ service lines. Make sure that a plumber uses only lead-free solders and other materials in replacements, as is required by law.

How it stacks up:

Efficacy: This method can be up to 100% effective and permanent if done thoroughly. In practice, however, it may fall short of achieving safe lead levels. For example, after Newton, MA’s remediation efforts in 2016 many school fixtures still tested at up to 10 ppb.

Cost: Costs are generally very high. They will vary depending on the extent of existing lead contamination and potential future sources of lead contamination that should be removed. If the source of lead is difficult to find, testing costs could also quickly add up at $20-$80 per sample. For Cleveland Public Schools in 2016, testing alone throughout 69 buildings cost over $390,000.

For example, simply replacing drinking fountains (at $500-$1500 each plus installation costs) will be much less expensive than excavating to replace a building service line (which, in addition to costing thousands of dollars, could run into unexpected costs, such as any building structural components blocking access).

Labor: This will also generally be high, with some variation. However, testing, construction, and installations can be accomplished by an independent contractor and are not necessarily reliant on school personnel

Option 2: Flushing (NOT RECOMMENDED)  

How it works:

School staff manually flush each source of drinking water for 1-2 minutes at the start of each day. This method is not recommended due to liability, installation, and maintenance costs.

Many schools (including dozens on this list from Massachusetts) report that they flush their taps to reduce lead, but do not report any other actions. This puts the health and safety of students and staff at great risk.

How it stacks up:

Efficacy: This method has proven as risky so efficacy is very questionable. It faces the risk of human error, since it is dependent on daily attention. Additionally, new research has surfaced out of Polytechnique Montreal in Quebec, Canada that shows unsafe lead levels returning as soon as 15-20 minutes after flushing.

Cost: In the short-term, flushing costs include labor and an increase in the utilities bill.

Labor: Labor for this method is intensive. It will be approximately equal to: one minute per tap times the number of taps, times the salary of the person flushing.

Option 3:  Filtration

How it works:

Certified point-of-use filter systems can remove on average 99.3% of lead from drinking water without the need for time-consuming efforts to find and remove lead from infrastructure.

The filters need to be periodically replaced, usually about once per year. However, it is recommended to consider your schools frequency of usage, as developing your own filter maintenance plan will assure you’re achieving the most efficacy. Learn more about proper filter maintenance in schools here.

In 2016, Washington, D.C. tested water throughout its public schools and found lead contamination above 15 ppb in 64 buildings. The district government installed filters at every water source in those schools. After seeing how effective filtration is, the government changed its lead standard to 1 ppb and has since installed filters at every water source in every school in the district.

If you decide filtration is an appropriate solution for your school, take a look at the list of the 5 Most Popular Bottle Filling Stations for Schools to find the filler that best fits your needs.

How it stacks up:

Efficacy: Filtration can be quite effective if implemented properly. The filters used by Elkay’s bottle fillers, for example, are NSF/ANSI 42/53 certified. They reduce on average 99.3% of lead in the conditions listed here. They also reduce aesthetic chlorine, taste and odor, and particulate class I.

According to Elkay®, the WaterSentry Plus filter used in bottle fillers filters has a 3000 gallon capacity. This capacity can extend upwards of one year of completely safe water for most bottle fillers.

Cost: Retrofitting or replacing drinking fountains will be much less expensive than traditional pipe removal remediation.

Elkay’s vandal resistant retrofit kids can connect to existing fountain locations for under $300 per station (not including installation).

A complete, new system may cost approximately $800-$1,500 per unit, plus installation. Each system will come with one replacement filter, and additional filters cost approximately $65-75 each. In total, this solution is significantly cheaper than pipe replacement.

Labor:  Labor is required for installation and about 5-10 minutes worth of periodic filter replacement per unit. Most bottle fillers have an easily accessible compartment that houses the filter where the existing filter can be removed and the replacement popped in.

Other EPA-recommended actions in the long term:

After choosing and implementing a remediation strategy for lead in water, schools should set up systems for long-term safety.

• Make sure that testing and record-keeping systems are in order. A school plumbing profile can help keep track of high-risk sites for lead and organize testing and record-keeping protocols. Accurate fixture IDs and exact protocols for testing best practices are also useful for communicating within the school district and with outside contractors. Testing consistency is important for accurate results.

• Have a plan for future testing. Make sure that the staff responsible for working with contractors, testing laboratories, records, maintaining signage, or educating students are well-informed and familiar with both safety and legal guidelines. It is important to check both federal and state laws.

• Communicate the problem to staff, families and the surrounding community. When it comes to the serious nature of lead poisoning, transparency is imperative to generating viable solutions and creating an awareness of the problem. Newsletters, informational meetings and letters to local media are all good ways to get the word out and ensure everyone is in the loop.

• Educate staff and students. Even for those not directly involved with implementation or maintenance of lead responses, it is useful to be informed and aware of the problems that lead can pose.

Finding lead in drinking water can be a concerning and confusing moment, but these best practices can act as a starting point to ensuring schools provide healthy environments for all students and staff.

Want to learn more?

Contact us now at support@becausewater.org. 

Recently, there has been an uptick in the number of schools discovering elevated lead levels in their drinking water. In response, many are learning that filtered bottle filling stations can be an effective, efficient, and affordable way to restore safe drinking water to their students and staff.

Given that bottle fillers are a relatively new technology, the purpose of this guide is to answer common questions and outline the simple steps for proper system maintenance.

Read the full guide HERE.

Federal Level:

Foundational:

• EPA Cleaner Water and Air for America’s Schoolchildren Fund (Nationwide)
• Salud America (Nationwide)
• Peace Love and Planet Go Green Grant (Nationwide)
• Farmers Insurance Thank America’s Teachers Grant (Nationwide)
• Kids Run the Nation Grant Fund (Nationwide)
• Recyclebank Green Schools (Nationwide)
• Lowe’s toolbox for education (Nationwide)
• Appalachian Regional Commision (Appalachian states – see list of eligible communities)

Legislation:

• HR 2479 – Infrastructure:

Infrastructure bill. Title II, subsection B covers reducing lead in drinking water. It establishes a grant program to provide assistance to local educational agencies for the replacement of drinking water fountains manufactured prior to 1988. The funding may be used to replace fountains or applied to the cost of monitoring and reporting lead in schools. The bill appropriates not more than $5,000,000 each year from 2018 to 2022. Under the same subsection, section 1466 focuses on guidance for schools regarding lead, section 1467 appropriates $50,000,000 each year from 2018 to 2022 for school lead service line replacement, and section 22006 increases school remediation program funding from $20,000,000 to $100,000,000.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Grant Money or Reimbursement

• S 1674 – School Building Improvement Act of 2017:

Provides grants for the repair, renovation, and construction of public elementary schools and secondary school and to establish a school infrastructure bond program. Improvement to the environmental conditions of public elementary school or secondary school sites, includes, but is not limited to the reduction or elimination of lead-contaminated drinking water.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Grant Money or Reimbursement

Arkansas:

Foundational:

• Innovative Solutions for Educational Partnerships Grants (Statewide)
• Healthy Active Arkansas – Rethink your drink grant (Statewide)

Arizona:

Foundational:

• AZ Foundation (Statewide)
• Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust (Maricopa County only)

Legislation:

• HB 2213 – Lead Screening at Child Care Facilities:

$200,000 is to be appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2018‐2019 to the department of environmental quality for lead screening of drinking water in child care facilities.

Status:

-Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for Lead

• HB 2352 – Lead Screening at Charter Schools

$100,000 is to be appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2018‐2019 to the department of environmental quality for lead screening of drinking water in charter schools.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for Lead

California:

Foundational:

• West Basin Water Bottle Filling Stations Grant Program (West Basin Municipal Water District)
• Healthy Shasta Initiative @School (Shasta County only)
• San Francisco Water Power Sewer Grants (City of San Francisco only)
• Santa Clara Valley Water District A2 Grants (Santa Clara County only)
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Southern California counties)
• California EPA Water Grant (Statewide)
• Drinking Water for Schools Grant program (Statewide)

Legislation:

• AB 746 – Lead in Universities:

This bill would require a community water system that serves a schoolsite of a local educational agency with a building constructed before January 1, 2010, to test for lead in the potable water system of the schoolsite before January 1, 2019. The bill would require the community water system to report its findings to the schoolsite, as specified, and, if the schoolsite’s lead level exceeds a certain level, to test a water sample from the point at which the schoolsite connects to the community water system’s supply network. The bill would require the local educational agency, if the lead level exceeds the specified level at a schoolsite, to notify the parents and guardians of the pupils who attend the schoolsite or preschool. The bill would require the local educational agency to take immediate steps to make inoperable and shut down from use all fountains and faucets where the excess lead levels may exist and would require the local educational agency to work with the school site to ensure that a potable source of drinking water is provided for students.

Status:

– Signed into law (10/13/17)

Allows for:

– Water testing for Lead

– Grant Money or Reimbursement

• AB 885 – Lead in Drinking Water

As amended, this bill would require a school, defined to include a public elementary school, a public secondary school, a public preschool located on public school property, and a public day care facility located on public school property, to purchase and install, on or before April 1, 2018, certified water filters at all school faucets, fountains, and other outlets designated for drinking or cooking. The bill would require a school to replace all lead-bearing parts within the school’s water delivery system, where feasible and cost effective, on or before January 1, 2020. The bill would require a school, on or before July 1, 2018, to develop and adopt a plan of action relating to these requirements. The bill would require a community water system, as defined, to test, on or before July 1, 2019, and every year thereafter, for the presence of lead at each water outlet used for drinking or cooking at each school within the boundaries of the community water system.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for Lead

– Grant Money or Reimbursement

– Lead piping replacement

• SB 210 – Drinking Water

Would require a school district that has drinking water sources with drinking water that does not meet the United States Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards for lead or any other contaminant to close access to those drinking water sources, to provide alternative drinking water sources, as specified, and to notify specified persons if the school district is required to provide those alternative drinking water sources.

Allows for:

– N/A

Colorado:

Foundational:

• LiveWell Colorado (Statewide)
• Colorado Health Foundation Funding Opportunities (Statewide)

Legislation:

• HB 1306 – Lead in Schools:

Directs the Department of Public Health and Environment to establish a grant program to test for lead in public schools’ drinking water. The department will give the highest priority to the oldest public elementary schools, then the oldest public schools that are not elementary schools, and then all other public schools. The department may also consider ability to pay in administering the program. The department is directed to use its best efforts to complete all testing and analysis by June 30, 2020. The public school must provide at least 10% local matching funds and give the test results to its local public health agency, its supplier of water, its school board, and the department.

Status:

– Signed into law (6/8/17)

Allows for:

– Water testing for Lead

– Grant Money or Reimbursement

Connecticut:

Foundational:

• The Watershed Fund (Statewide)

Legislation:

• HB 5026 – School Lead Testing:

Requires local and regional boards of education and regional education service centers to submit water samples to the Department of Public Health to conduct periodic testing of lead contamination in school potable water sources and systems in school buildings.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing

D.C.:

Legislation:

• LB 29 – Childhood Lead Exposure Prevention Amendment Act of 2017:

Amends multiple Acts thereby requiring public schools, public charter schools, recreation facilities, and child development facilities to locate all drinking water sources, install and maintain filters for reducing lead at all drinking water sources and test all drinking water sources for lead annually.

Status:

– Signed into law (7/31/17)

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water filter

Delaware:

Foundational:

• Delaware PTA grants (Delaware schools only)

Georgia:

Legislation:

• SB 29/HB 28 – School Lead Testing

Requires testing of drinking water in public and private schools for lead contamination and provides for remediation plans or alternate sources of drinking water.

Status:

– Passed Senate

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

Hawaii:

Foundational:

• Kaiser Permanente (Statewide)

Idaho:

Foundational:

• State of Idaho Green Project Reserve (Statewide)

Illinois:

Foundational:

• Illinois American Water Environmental Grant (Illinois American Water service area only)

Legislation:

• HB 265 – Chicago Lead Report Card:

Creates the Lead in Schools Reporting Act to require on an annual basis the Department of Public Health, in coordination with local departments of public health serving the City of Chicago, to conduct specified lead testing at public school facilities within the City. The testing results will be transmitted to the State Board of Education. The Department will notify the Board if the detection level meets a level the Department deems unsafe. School reports cards for cities with populations more than 500,000 shall include lead testing results.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

• SB 550 – School Lead Testing

Among other provisions, this bill amends the Child Care Act of 1969 by requiring the adoption of rules for assessing levels of lead in water in licensed day care centers, day care homes, and group day care homes constructed on or before January 1, 2000. The rules will at a minimum include provisions regarding testing parameters, notification of sampling results, and training requirements for lead exposure and mitigation. The Illinois Plumbing License Law, section 35.5, is amended to require the school district or chief school administrator to test for lead in drinking water in school buildings and provide written notification of the test results.

Status:

– Signed into law (1/11/17)

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

Indiana:

Foundational:

• Carmel Green-Teen Micro Grant Program (Carmel and Clay Counties only)
• Indiana American Water Environmental Grant (Indiana American Water service area only)

Legislation:

• SB 322 – Lead Poisoning of Children:

Upon determination that a child has a blood lead level of at least 10 micrograms per deciliter, the cause of the lead poisoning shall be determined and remediated.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– N/A

Iowa:

Foundational:

• Iowa American Water Environmental Grant (Iowa American Water Service Area only)
• Delta Dental of Iowa (Statewide)

Kansas:

Foundational:

• Pathways to a healthy Kansas (Statewide)

Kentucky:

Foundational:

• Kentucky American Water Environmental Grant (Kentucky American Water Service Area only)

Maine:

Foundational:

• Portland Water District Bottle Filling Station Grant Program (Portland Water District Service Area only)

Legislation:

• HP 508 (LD 717) – Lead & Arsenic in Schools:

Schools shall submit water samples to the department for analysis at least once every year. The samples must be analyzed for at least lead and arsenic. Results shall be made public.

Status:

– Passed House

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water testing for other contaminants

• HP 783 (LD 1119) – Ensure Safe Drinking Water in Public Buildings:

Public buildings receiving water from a source other than a public water system shall submit water samples to the department for analysis at least once a year. If the water is found to violated the state primary drinking water regulations, the department shall issue an order prohibiting the use of the water for drinking or culinary purposes, which order must remain in force until the water conforms to the state primary drinking water regulations. The results shall be made public.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water testing for other contaminants

• SP 20 (LD 40) – Strengthen Requirements for Water Testing for Schools:

Any school that takes water from a source other than a public water systems for drinking or culinary purposes shall submit water samples to the department for analysis at least once during each school year. If the water is found to violate the state primary drinking water regulations, the department shall issue an order prohibiting the use of the water for drinking or culinary purposes by the school, which shall remain in force until the water conforms to the state primary drinking water regulations. The results shall be made public upon request.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water testing for other contaminants

Maryland:

Foundational:

• BGE Green Grants Program (Central Maryland communities)

Legislation:

• HB 270 – School Lead Testing:

Requires the Department of Environment and the Department of Education to adopt regulations requiring periodic testing for lead in each drinking water outlet located in an occupied public or nonpublic school building.

Status:

– Signed into law (5/4/17)

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

Massachusetts:

Legislation:

• SB 456/HB 2915 – Drinking Water in Schools and Early Childhood Programs:

Public water systems will need to fully replace lead service lines to every school district, charter school, nonpublic school, and early childhood program they serve within three years. Replacement should be paid for by the public water system, regardless of ownership of any portion of the service line. When drinking water test results show elevated lead levels the school will need to follow the outlined steps in the bill, including but not limited to installing and maintaining certified filters at all faucets, fountains, or other drinking water outlets.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water filters

– Lead piping replacement

Michigan:

Foundational:

• Delta Dental Michigan (Statewide)

Legislation:

• HB 4120 – School Lead Testing & Other Contaminants:

Requires a supplier of water to a public school to collect water samples every three years from school drinking water faucets and have the samples analyzed for lead and all other contaminants for which there is a state drinking water standard.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water testing for other contaminants

• HB 4372 – Lead & other Contaminants in Colleges and Universities:

At least once every year, a supplier of water that provides water to a college or university shall collect water samples from the college or university at have those samples analyzed for the presence of lead and all other contaminants for which there is a state drinking water standard. The results should be provided to the department and the college or university.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water testing for other contaminants

• HB 4378 – Lead & other Contaminants in Nonpublic Schools:

At least once every 3 years, a supplier of water that provides water to a nonpublic school shall collect water samples from drinking water faucets at the school and have those samples analyzed for the presence for lead and all other contaminants for which there is a state drinking water standard. The results should be provided to the department and the school.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water testing for other contaminants

• HB 5400/HB 5401 – Water Testing at Veterans’ Facilities:

The Board of Managers will be required to have each veterans’ facility under its supervisions be sampled and tested monthly for the presence of lead and all other substances for which there is a state drinking water standard established under the Safe Drinking Water Act to determine whether the water is in compliance with the act.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water testing for other contaminants

Minnesota:

Foundational:

• Green Partners Environmental Education Program (Hennepin County only)
• Minnesota Dept of Health Drinking Water Poster Contest (Statewide)

Legislation:

• HF 1846 – Lead in Public School Buildings:

Requiring drinking water lead-testing in public school buildings serving students K-12. The plan must include a testing schedule that requires testing for the presence of lead in drinking water in all buildings serving school districts and charter school students where there is a source of water that may be consumed by students. The testing must be conducted annually in calendar years 2018 and 2019. The testing must be conducted at least once every five years thereafter.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

• HF 2181/SF 1946 – Lead in Schools and Licensed Child Care Centers:

Requiring drinking water lead-testing in schools and licensed child care centers.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

Missouri:

Foundational:

• Missouri Foundation for Health (Statewide)

Nevada:

Foundational:

• Community Foundation of Northern Nevada (Western and Northern Nevada only)

New Hampshire:

Foundational:

• New Hampshire State Council on the Arts (Statewide)

Legislation:

• SB 247 – Lead in Schools:

Establishes a remediation of lead in water and multifamily housing fund and makes an appropriation for the purposes of the fund. Requires testing for lead in drinking water in child care facilities and schools.

Status:

– Passed House and Senate

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Grant Money or Reimbursement

New York:

Foundational:

• New York American Water Environmental Grant (NY American Water Service area only)
• Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo (Greater Buffalo area only)

Legislation:

• AB 1120 – School Lead Testing:

Provides for annual school lead and copper tap water testing and requires the publication of the testing report and abatement.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water testing for other contaminants

• AB 7148 – Lead Testing in Water to Day Care Facilities:

Everyday care facility shall conduct periodic first-drawn tap testing of potable water systems to monitor for lead contamination.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

North Carolina:

Foundational:

• Watauga Education Foundation Grant (Watauga County only)
• Delta Dental of North Carolina (Statewide)

Legislation:

• HB 825 – Protect NC Children from Lead Exposure:

Each supplier of water shall test drinking water for the presence of lead at drinking water outlets in each school or childcare facility to which the supplier of water provides treated drinking water, except where the school or child care facility is itself the supplier of water and is already subject to monitoring for lead. The suppliers of water shall use the EPA’s 3Ts technical guidance to establish drinking water sampling collection criteria and protocols to satisfy the requirements in the bill.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

North Dakota:

Foundational:

• North Dakota Community Foundation (Statewide)

Ohio:

Foundational:

• Delta Dental of Ohio (Statewide)

Oklahoma:

Foundational:

• TSET Healthy Schools Incentive Grants (Statewide)

Oregon:

Foundational:

• Clackamas County Schools Mini-grants (Clackamas County only)
• Oregon Department of Education (Statewide)
• Oregon DEQ Drinking Water Protection Program (Statewide)

Pennsylvania:

Foundational:

• GrinCH Grant (Chestnut Hill only)
• Pennsylvania DEP Foundation Grants (Statewide)
• Pennsylvania American Water Environmental Grant (PA American Water service area only)

Legislation:

• SB 647 – Lead in Schools:

Prior to the start of each school year, every school building in a district, including all drinking water, shall be tested for lead levels. Any school building that finds a lead level that is more than the maximum contaminant level will need to immediately implement a plan to ensure no child or adult is exposed to lead contamination and that alternative sources of drinking water are made available. Additionally, the school building will be retested monthly until the lead level tests are below the limit. The testing reports will be reported to the Department of Education and sent to the parents or guardians of the students. The Department of Education and school district will also be required to post the lead level results for each school building on their websites.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

Rhode Island:

Foundational:

• Greenlove Foundation (Statewide)

Legislation:

• HB 5907 – Lead Poisoning Prevention Act:

Public water systems shall fully replace lead service lines at every school district, charter school, nonpublic school, and early childhood program they serve within 3 years. This shall be paid by the public water system, regardless of ownership of any portion of the service line. Each school and early childhood program shall undertake annual testing for lead by a certified laboratory. When drinking water test results show elevated lead levels the school will need to follow the outlined steps in the bill, including but not limited to installing and maintaining certified filters at all faucets, fountains, or other drinking water outlets.

Status:

Introduced

Allows for:

• Water testing for lead
• Lead piping replacement

South Carolina:

Foundational:

• MUSC Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness Grant (Statewide)

South Dakota:

Foundational:

• Dakota Hospital Foundation (Statewide)

Tennessee:

Foundational:

• Tennessee American Water Environmental Grant (TN American Water service area only)
• Healthier Tennessee (Statewide)

Legislation:

• HB 385/ SB 266 – Lead in Schools:

Requires principals of schools build before June 19, 1986, to flush fixtures used for drinking water and food preparation for at least 60 seconds before the arrival of children each school day.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– N/A

Texas:

Legislation:

• HB 335 – Lead Testing in Public Schools:

This is a reintroduction of HB 2395. Public schools will need to conduct annual first-draw tap tests of potable water systems to monitor the amount of lead in the water in occupied school building under the jurisdiction of the school district. The test should be performed by a third-party. If the test shows the lead levels exceed the MCL, the school will need to continue weekly first-draw tap tests until three consecutive weekly tests confirm the water is safe for human consumption. The school will also need to provide the occupants of the building with a safe supply of drinking water.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

• SB 1580 – Lead in Schools, Senior Living Center, Hospitals, State Agencies & Public Parks:

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality shall create a program under which the commission routinely tests the levels of lead and copper in the water emitted from all drinking water outlets and water lines that serve property owned and operated by the state or a political subdivision of Texas, including: public schools, publicly owned child care facilities, institutions of higher education and public junior colleges, state supported living centers, public hospitals, state agencies, and public parks.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water testing for other contaminants

• SB 1587/HB 3695 – Lead in Schools and Child Care Facilities & Filters:

Each public water system shall fully replace lead service lines in each public school, private school, or child care facility that is served by the public water system. The replacement shall be paid for by the public water system regardless of ownership of any portion of the service line. Each public school, private school, and child care facility shall develop and adopt a plan of action to prevent elevated lead levels in all water used for drinking or cooking. The plan of action must include the installing and maintaining of certified filters at all drinking water outlets in each school or facility building. Each public school, private school, or child care facility shall undertake periodic testing of the drinking water outlets for the presence of lead. It should be conducted by a certified laboratory and performed at least once a year.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water filters

– Lead piping replacements

Vermont:

Foundational:

• School Zero Waste Grants (Central Vermont communities only)
• Washington Electric Cooperative Community Fund (Washington Electric customers only)
• Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (Statewide)
• Chittenden Solid Waste District Project Grants (Chittenden County only)

Virginia:

Foundational:

• Virginia American Water Environmental Grant (VA American Water service area grant)
• Virginia Beach Education Foundation (Virginia Beach area only)
• Act for Alexandria Community Foundation (Alexandria area only)
• Community Foundation of Henderson County Grant (Henderson County only)
• The Community Foundation Grants (Statewide)

Legislation:

• HB 1578 – Lead in Schools:

Each school board will need to develop and implement a plan to test in school buildings potable water from sources, as often as required of the supplying public water system by the VA Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water. If the results of any test indicate a level of lead at or above 20 parts per billion, the school board must develop a plan for remediation and retest the water at two consecutive six‐month intervals.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

• S.B. 1359 – School Lead Testing:

Each local school board shall develop and implement a plan to test and, if necessary, remediate potable water from sources identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as high priority for testing, including bubbler-style and cooler-style drinking fountains, cafeteria or kitchen taps, classroom combination sinks and drinking fountains, and sinks known to be or visibly used for consumption. The local school board shall give priority in the testing plan to schools whose school building was constructed, in whole or in part, before 1986.

Status:

– Signed into law (3/20/17)

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

Washington:

Foundational:

• Healthiest Next Generation Initiative Grant (Statewide)
• Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction School Facilities Grants (Statewide)

Legislation:

• HB 1842 – Lead in Facilities Frequented by Children:

By January 1, 2018 each school and early childhood program shall develop and adopt a plan of action to prevent lead levels in all water used for drinking or cooking. It must include installing and maintaining certified filters at all faucets, fountains, or other outlets designated for drinking or cooking within eighteen months of the effective date.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water filters

• HB 1925 – Lead in Schools:

By January 1, 2018 each school shall develop and adopt a plan of action to prevent lead levels in all water used for drinking or cooking. It must include installing and maintaining certified filters at all faucets, fountains, or other outlets designated for drinking or cooking within eighteen months of the effective date.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

– Water filters

• SB 5883 – Lead in Schools:

$1,500,000 of the general fund for the fiscal year of 2018 and $1,500,000 of the general fund for the fiscal year of 2019 as appropriated solely for increased screening, case management, and an electronic data reporting system to identify children who are at the highest risk of having elevated lead in their blood. Also for sampling and testing of drinking water and water fixtures at public schools.

Status:

– Signed into law (6/30/17)

Allows for:

– Water testing

– Grant Money or Reimbursement

West Virginia:

Foundational:

• Highmark Foundation (Statewide)
• West Virginia American Water Environmental Grant (WV American Water service area only)

Wisconsin:

Foundational:

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Statewide)
• Watertown Health Foundation (Dodge and Jefferson Counties only)

Legislation:

• AB 298 – Lead in Childcare Centers:

This bill requires child care centers and child care providers to test for lead in drinking water and to provide potable water if lead contamination is found in order to obtain, renew, or continue a child care center license or child care provider certification. The bill defines lead contamination to be a concentration of lead that is greater than 0.005 mg/L.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Water testing for lead

• SB 141 – Revenue Adjustment for Remediation of Lead in Schools:

Creates a revenue limit adjustment for a school district that incurs cost to remediate lead contamination in water used for drinking and food preparation in the school district, including costs to test for the presence of lead in the water, provide potable water, and replace pipes, drinking fountains, and public fixtures.

Status:

– Introduced

Allows for:

– Grant Money or reimbursement

Wyoming:

Foundational:

• Wyoming Community Foundation (Statewide)

Canada:

Foundational:

• Green Apple Grants (Ontario schools only)
• TDSB Project Refill Grant (Toronto schools only)

Step 1: Go to this EPA webpage. Choose your state and you will be directed to a list of DEP-certified labs in your state. You can also call the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791. If you call this number, they can give you a list of DEP-certified labs near you.

Step 2: Get your sample collection kits. Be sure to contact your water supplier first. Some states, such as Maine, have programs in place to give schools a portion of water sample kits for free. By contacting your city’s water department, you can avoid spending extra money on something for which the state has already allocated funds. Ensure you receive the adequate number of kits. You will need to take a sample from every water source that could potentially be used for drinking water. This includes all water fountains, any faucets in classrooms, and any faucets in kitchens used to prepare food.

Step 3: Collect your sample pre-flush. This means take the sample after water has been stagnant in the pipes for at least eight hours. You may need to go into the building on a day that school is closed, or take the sample early in the morning, before school opens. This pre-flush sample will determine if the pipes in the building are made of lead. Some labs will ask for a second sampling. After all of your pre-flush samples are taken, go back to each water source and take a second sample. This sample will reveal if there is any lead in the header pipe. The header pipe is underground, sometimes referred to as the pipe at “street level”. This is the pipe that would connect the school’s plumbing system to the municipal water line. Taking all of these samples might be difficult for only one or two people to execute. It may be worthwhile to make this a class activity or connect with the Environmental Club, if your school has one.

Step 4: Drop off or mail your samples to the lab. If you live in a state that provides free sample kits to schools, these will often come with prepaid postage.

Step 5: Wait for your results. Most labs will send the results by mail, but some will email the results upon request. Because of the large quantity of samples needed to be taken, it will usually take a few weeks for labs to complete the testing. In the state of Illinois, for example, it can take a month or longer.

Step 6: Inform parents of the results. This is especially true if any of the water sources are found to have elevated levels of lead. Parents must be kept in the loop.

Step 7: Shut down any water sources found to have elevated lead levels. If a water source has levels of lead higher than 15 parts per billion, tape up the faucet or drinking water spout so that it is not accessible, and place signage on the fixture, indicating that it is not safe for consumption. If elevated levels are found in bathroom faucets or utility sinks, these are safe to use for hand washing, but place signage so that it is never used for drinking water. Signage should read something like, “Water Safe for Hand Washing Only. Do Not Drink!”

Pros: Peace of Mind You know you can trust the results of a DEP-certified lab. You will receive a full lab analysis reporting exactly what is in your water. It will detail the lead elevation in parts per billion or milligrams per liter.

Cons: Turnaround Time & Inconvenience Both collecting the samples and waiting for the samples to come back from the lab are time-consuming processes. Depending on the size of your school, it could take quite a while to take a sample from every drinking water fountain, classroom faucet and kitchen faucet. It will be even more time-consuming, if you decide to also test bathroom faucets and other fixtures not generally used for drinking water. Once samples are collected, some labs have a mail-in option but many do not. Depending on what state you are in, you could find yourself having to go out of your way to drive to the lab to get the sterile sample containers and then driving back to the lab to drop the samples off. Lab fees can vary and typically range from $12-$80, but as mentioned earlier, some states cover these fees entirely while others provide subsidies. Contact your water supplier or your state’s public works department to find out if you qualify for assistance.

Step 1: Purchase a test kit at a local home improvement store, or order one from an online retailer.

Step 2: Collect the sample, following the same instructions as if you were sending the water away to a lab. Take the sample only after the water has been stagnant in the pipes for at least eight hours. Take samples from every source that has the potential to be used for drinking or cooking.

The second sample, taken after the water has been running for a couple minutes, will test for lead in the building’s header pipe.

Step 3: Place the lead test strip into the water. Many of these kits come with a variety of strips to test for different contaminants, so make sure you are using the strip designated to test for lead.

Step 4: Wait the recommended time frame and then check the strip. Many kits have very short time frames. First Alert will give the consumer results within ten minutes. These tests read “positive” or “negative”. If it reads negative, that doesn’t mean the water is completely lead free. It only means that it doesn’t have more than 15 parts per billion, and therefore any hypothetical lead content is not high enough to register on the test.

Pros: Instant Results and Easy to Use

With an instant test kit, you will have results in your hand in minutes.

The kits are very easy to use. All you have to do is place the test strip into the water sample and wait for results to appear.

Cons: No Lab Report Showing Parts Per Billion

The test kits will only read positive or negative. You won’t receive a detailed lab report, as you would if going through a DEP-certified lab. Subsequently, even if your results come back negative, you have no way to know for certain whether or not lead is present.

Step 1: To find the contact information for your water supplier, visit the website for your local government and look under “Public Works” or “Water and Sewage”.

Step 2: When you contact the water supplier, make sure to tell them you are calling on behalf of a school, and ask if there are any programs in place to assist you with testing your water or if free water testing is something offered to schools in your state.

Pros: Peace of Mind, Free and Convenient

Municipal water suppliers are held to EPA standards. This is the most trustworthy option. If this is an option that your supplier provides, testing will be free. This testing option will not be labor-intensive, as the water supplier will be responsible for the tests.

Cons: Not Always an Option

This is not an option in all states and will therefore depend on where your school is located.

There are lots of grants and funding options available to assist public schools in testing their water. The Safe Drinking Water Act was amended in 2015 to make even more funds available to communities. There are a few ways to go about finding a grant to assist you with testing your school’s water.

Step 1:

Start your search by checking out this EPA resource; epa.gov/grants. This site has a lot of information about how to go about applying for grants. It also includes several links to assist you in your search. If you get stuck, you can always contact the EPA directly via their website.

Step 2: To search available grants, go to grants.gov/web/grants/home.html. About halfway down the page, select the tab “Search Grants”. Select the “Funding Instrument Type” as “Grants”. Most of the grants available for the testing of school’s water, will be found under the category “Natural Resources,” which can be selected under the box “Category”. Then search using the terms “water” or “water and schools” in the search bar on the left. This will bring up a list of available grants. You then just need to search through these to find one that is applicable to you. It may be necessary to apply additional filters to your search. You can do this by choosing from parameters, listed on the left-hand side of the screen.

Step 3: You can also go directly through your state or local government. As mentioned earlier in this article, you would do this by going to the website of your local government and looking under either “Public Works” or “Water and Sewage”. Find the contact information for the department to send them an email or give them a call. Ask what grants or assistance are available to help you test your school’s water for lead.